AU5423801A - Automatic contact distribution system definable agent log-off reasons - Google Patents

Description

'6

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION NAME OF APPLICANT(S): Rockwell Electronic Commerce Corp.

ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Patent Attorneys 1 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, 3000.

INVENTION TITLE: Automatic contact distribution system definable agent log-off reasons The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- JUL 3. 2001 1:30PM WELSH KATZ LTD. 312 655 1501 NO. 0217 P. 6 1 2 3 sACKGROUND AND 1SUMMJ R 4 6 The present invention relates to configuring agent log-off 7 reasons in connection with an automatic contact distribution 8 (ACD) system.

9 ACD systems are typically used to distribute telephone calls and other customer contacts among a group of agents of an 11 organization. In general, ACD systems may be used to distribute 12 contacts under any of a number of different formats. For 13 example, a contact may be a telephone call received from (or 14 placed through) a public switched telephone network (PSTN) or a 15 contact may be a voice path based upon packet data transferred .16 through a computer network such as the Internet using web '-17 telephony. Alternatively, a contact may be any communication such as an e-mail, a facsimile, a video, or a web-site inquiry 19 received through the Internet, etc. Thus, ACD systems are transaction processing systems which can handle one or more of a 21 wide variety of these contact types.

*22 An organization can disseminate a single telephone number, 23 URL or e-mail address, for example, to customers and to the .24 public in general as a means of contacting the organization. As contacts are directed to the organization, for example from the 26 PSTN or the Internet, the ACD system can direct the contacts to 27 the organization's agents based upon some algorithm. For 1 a.

JUL. 3. 2001 1:30PM WELSH KATZ LTD, 312 655 1501 N0,0217 P, 7 1 example, where all agents are considered equal, the ACD may 2 distribute a contact based on which agent has been idle the 3 longest time. of course, there are many other possible ways to 4 select an agent, or a subgroup of agents from whom an available one will be selected.

6 The ACD system can be provided with any number of routing 7 mechanisms for establishing contact paths between agent stations 8 and sources of contacts. In some systems, a path may be 9 established through a circuit switched voice port, such as for calls from the PSTN. Another path may be a data link (such as 11. over a Local Area Network such as, for example, for an e- 12 mail received through a computer network such as the Internet.

13 Control of the switching and communications with a database .14 and with an external network such as a PSTN may, for example, be accomplished generally as described in U.S. Pat. Nos, 5,268,903 and 5,140,611, both to Jones et al. which are hereby incorporated by reference. Routing of contacts to agents may, for example, be 18 accomplished generally as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,269 to SteinJlicht, U.S. Pat. No. 5,365,581 to Baker et al., and U.S.

Pat. No. 5,400,327 to Dezonno, which are hereby incorporated by 21 reference.

22 Some ACD systems will direct contacts only to agents who are "logged-on." That is, the system will not direct a contact to an 24 agent station, if there is no agent present to handle contacts.

Of course, the system still may not direct a contact to an agent 26 who is logged on because, for example, the agent may be occupied JUL. 3. 2001 1:30PM W/ELSH KATZ LTD. 312 655 1501 NO. Q217 P. 8 3. with another contact at a given time. However, the agent would 2 not even be potentially eligible to receive contacts if not 3 logged-on. Other ACD systems do not require prior log-on. For 4 example, another type of ACD system, especially suitable for but not limited to wireless phone and pager systems, will notify all 6 agent stations associated with an agent being sought, regardless 7 of the agent's log-on status. However, there still can be a loga on/log-off procedure for management purposes.

9 An organization operating an ACD system needs the ability to track when and why its agents are logged-off. Therefore, it is 2.1 desirable to have agents indicate a log-off reason which can be 12 stored in conjunction with a record of the log-off. It is also 13 desirable for agents to be able to indicate log-off reasons in a 14 timely fashion.

.3.5one way to identify agent log-off reasons is to provide static log-off reasons such as Break, Lunch, Endfluty, Personal, ":17 Meeting, or Training, which can be displayed in a fixed order at 18 an agent station in response to an agent log-off request. The :19 agent can select one of the reasons provided for the information of a monitoring supervisor and for recording with a date/time 21 entry. Mnother way is for the agent to enter a log-off reason 22 code. There can be a system-wide log-off reason for each code.

.23 In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, 24 an organization operating an ACD system obtains greater flexibility to define any number of agent log-off reasons, which 26 may be tailored to particular agents, or which may be configured JUL. 3.2001 1:30PM WELSH KATZ LTD. 312 655 1501 NO. D217 P. 9 1 for groups of agents or for system-wide application, In various 2 embodiments, these custom-defined reasons may be displayed in 3 text to an agent, may be incorporated in historical reports and 4 in real-time displays for monitoring supervisors, and/or may be integrated with existing work force management programs. The 6 log-off reason may be communicated directly from an agent station 7 to the ACD system, or via another computer which also performs 8 other functions. These custom-defined reasons may be changed at 9 any time. In addition, the order in which the reasons appear for selection by an agent may be changed at any time. Such i.i reordering may be effected in accordance with different 12 algorithms designed to optimize the order reordering so 13 that a reason which is expected to be the most likely reason 14 appears first, and so forth).

*i5 The features of the present invention which are eivdt be novel are set forth below with particularity in the appended claims. The invention, together with further advantages thereof, 18 may be understood by reference to the following description in 19 conjunction with the accompanying figures, which illustrate some 20 embodiments of the invention.

21 22 IBRIE9 DECRIRTION -0-7 Tfil DEWINGM Figure Ilis a block diagram illustrating an example of the ::24 relationship between System components in connection with one embodiment of the agent log-off process.

JUL. 3.2001 1:30PM WE'LSH KATZ LTD. 312 655 1501 NO. 0217 P. 1 Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the 2 relationship between system components in connection with one 3 embodiment of the process defining agent log-off reasons.

4 Figure 3 is a functional block diagram illustrating an example of one embodiment of the agent log-off process.

6 7 pETAXLED

DESCRIPTION

8 In one embodiment, the present invention can provide an 9 organization operating an ACD system with the flexibility to define specific log-off reasons whose text names may be displayed 11 to the organization's agents in response to their respective log- 12 off requests. The text names may be chosen with the desired 13 specificity to facilitate correlation of an agent's actual 14 activity and scheduled activity. The organization operating an 15 ACD system may be provided with the flexibility to customize the -1*6 list displayed to any particular agent, so that it includes all :-17 of the reasons applicable to that agent, but does not include 18 reasons which are not applicable to that agent. The order in *1 which reasons are displayed may be changed, so that the reason which is expected to be the most likely reason will appear first, 21 and so forth, minimizing the time necessary to complete the log- 22 off process, The particular reasons and the order in which they are displayed may be changed at any time.

~24 As mentioned above, the term IIACD system" is not limited to a system distributing circuit switched telephone calls, or to a JUL. 312001 1 3PM WELSH KATZ LTD. 3 12 655 1501 NO, 0217 P. 11 1 system in which the agents are located in any one Place. As 2 examples, the present invention may apply to agents working at 3 remote locations including working at home, to agents in 4 connection with an internet service provider dial-up service, to web access agents, to instant messenger agents, or to ICQ agents, 6 etc.

7 Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the 8 relationship between system components in connlection with one 9 embodiment of the agent log-off process. In the example of Figure 1, a processor 42 is in communication with an agent 2.1 station 44, a reporting program 46, and several tables 50, 52, 12 and 54. For example, agent station 44 could comprise a personal 13 computer, and processor 42-could comprise a central processing unit of the ACD system controlling the routing of contacts to agents. it is understood that there could be many agent stations such as agent station 44 associated with an ACD system. After :1::27 receipt of a log-off request from agent station 44, processor 42 :18 obtains the list of log-off reasons to be displayed at agent station 44 by reference to the tables 50, 52, and 54. Upon display of the list of log-off reasons at agent station 44, the ::21 agent would select a log-off reason which would be communicated :22 to processor 42. A record of the log-off mnay be communicated to :*23 a reporting program 46.

24 Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the JUL. 3. 2001 1:31PM WELSH KATZ LTD. 312 655 1501 NO. D217 P. 12 1 relationship between system components in connection with a 2 specific embodiment of a process defining agent log-off reasons.

3 in the example of Figure 2, agent log-off category table 50 may 4 list an agent log-off category code for every agent identifier.

For example, each agent could be assigned to one agent log-off 6 category, and each agent log-off category could be associated 7 with specific log-off reasons to be displayed in a specific 8 order. All agents could be in one log-off category if it is 9 desired that every agent should be presented with the same list of log-off reasons in the same order. However, the agents could ii be divided into different log-off categories, or a log-off 12 category might even include only a single agent.

13 As examples, categories may be chosen based on tasks being 14performed by an agent, physical location of an agent, work group to which an agent is attached within the organization operating 16.3. the ACD system, supervisor to whom an agent reports, class of 1.7 service (such as communication capabilities) assigned to an agent 18 by the ACD system, contact media (such as web contacts, e-mail, 19 circuit switched telephone calls, etc.) assigned to an agent, particular skills of an agent, application which an agent is 21 servicing (such as sales inquiries, customer service inquiries, 22 etc.) time period during which an agent is working, particular .23 activities scheduled for an agent, or other desired bases.

24 In the example of Figure 2, codes indicating specific logoff reasons, and the specific order in which they should be JUL. 3.2001 1 :31 PM WELSH KATZ LTD. 312 655 1501 NO. 0217 P. 13 1. displayed, could be listed in log-off reason table 52 for every 2 agent log-off category code. As an example, a certain agent 3 could be involved in particular training or in a special project 4 not applicable to other agents. A log-off category could be created for that agent which included the unique log-off reasons 6 applicable to that agent. During the log-off process, each agent 7 would see only the log-off reasons applicable to himself or 8 herself.

9 in the example of Figure 2, reason name table 54 could list the reason code and corresponding text name for every log-off 11 reason applicable to any agent.

12 In one embodiment, lists corresponding with each log-off- 13 category code in log-off reason table 52 could include log-off reason codes for the applicable reasons, and respective ordering codes indicating the placement of each reason in the display to 16 the agent. In another embodiment, lists corresponding with each log-off category code in table 52 could include just log-off *18 reason codes arranged in the order in which the reasons should be :19 displayed to the agent. In still another embodiment, lists corresponding with each log-off category code in table 52 need 21 not list log-off reason codes. instead, each list could include 22 only an ordering code with an entry for each possible log-off 23 reason in the order in which the reasons appear in'the reason *see 24 name table 54. The ordering codes could correspond with the order in which the reasons should be displayed, with a no-display JUL. 3. 2001 1:31PM WELSH KATZ LTD, 312 655 1501 NO. D217 P. 14 I code (such as 1011) for reasons which should not be displayed.

2 in one embodiment, there could be a system parameter which 3 defines the number and/or the maximum number of reasons which can 4 be displayed to an agent. For example, this system parameter could be conf igurable so that, for example, the maximum number of 6 reasons can be reconfigured at any time as desired. In another 7 embodiment, such a parameter could be specific to a log-off 8 category. That is, the number and/or the maximum number of 9 reasons which can be displayed could be controlled separately for each log-off category.

11 In the example of Figure 2, a contact center administrator 12 may read from or write to agent log-off category table 50, log- 13 of f reason table 52, or reason name table 54 through a contact 14 center administrator interface S6. In this sense, "contact 15 center administrator" is used to label a person, in an 16 organization operating an ACD system, who has the capability to .17 change some of the system configuration. While not shown in 18 Figure 2, access to tables 50, S2, and 54 can be through a processor such as processor 42.

At any time, agent identifiers can be added to or deleted 21 from agent log-off category table 50, and the log-off category to 22 which a particular agent is assigned can be changed. At any 23 time, log-off category codes can be added to or deleted from log- 24 off reason table 52, and the reason and order codes corresponding with each log-off category code can be changed. Log-off reasons J UL. 3. 2001 1 :31 PM WYELSH KATZ LTD. 3 12 655 1501 NO. D217 P. 1 can be added to or deleted from reason name table 54 at any time.

2 In one embodiment, any updates to tables SO, 52, or 54 could 3 include automatic notification to processor 42 (in Figure 1) and 4 real-time substitution of any list of log-off reasons being displayed at an agent station 44.

6 Similarly, in the example of Figure 2, a work management 7 program 60 may download from or upload to tables 50, 52, and 54, 8 either in addition to or in lieu of a contact center 9 administrator. The contact center administrator may interact with work management program 60 through a contact center 11 administrator interface 56. There are commercially available 12 work management programs (such as Blue Pumpkin or IEX 13 Corporation's Total View) which can assist in scheduling the activities of employees of an organization such as agents working in connection with an ACD system. For example, coordination is desirable to ensure that a suf ficient number of agents are ::17 available to handle contacts in various areas of the business :18 sales inquiries, service inquiries, etc.), while also 19 scheduling training, meetings, breaks, and so forth. Examples of a method and apparatus for scheduling agents and supporting operation of an ACD system are described in U. S. Pat. No.

22 6,005,932 to Bloom which is hereby incorporated by reference.

23 in one embodiment, there can be coordination between display 24 of log-of f reasons to an agent and such a work management program 60. For example, information and changes in information JUL. 3. 2001 1:31PM WELSH KATZ LTD. 312 655 1501 NO. 0217 P. 16 1 regarding scheduled activities and log-off reasons can be 2 exchanged between a contact center administrator and a work 3 management program 60 through a contact center adminiStrator 4 interface 56. As another example, a work management program can automatically check for, and/or automatically be notified of, 6 the log-off reasons and/or changes to the log-off reasons which 7 will be displayed to an agent. Any changes in the log-off 8 reasons to be displayed which may be desirable in view of the 9 agent's schedule, may be initiated by the work management program 60 and/or by the contact center administrator through a contact 11 center administrator interface 56. Such changes could include 12 deleting log-off reasons no longer applicable to a particular 13 agent, or adding log-off reasons which have become applicable.

14 This could include changing an agent's log-off category, or creating a new log-off category for that agent.

*-:16In different embodiments, a contact center administrator *17 (via a contact center administrator interface 56) and/or a work 18 management program 60 can reorder the log-off reasons which will 19 be displayed to an agent. For excample, there can be adjustment of codes, in the log-of f reason table 52, specifying the order in 21 which specific log-off reasons of a particular log-off category 22 should be displayed. In the example of Figure 2, an order 23 optimization program 58 also may be used to select the order in 24 which log-off reasons are displayed, based on a variety of criteria. The objective is to minimize the time which an agent JUL. 3.2001 1 :31 PM W~ELSH KATZ LTD. 312 655 1501 NO. 0217 P. 17 1 takes to complete the log-off Process, by displaying firat a log- 2 off reason which is expected to be the most likely reason, 3 displaying second a reason expected to be the next most likely 4 reason, and so forth.

Any number of algorithms can be devised to predict an 6 optimal order in which to display log-off reasons. The following 7 are merely some examples; 8 Log-off reasons may be displayed in the order in which they 9 have been used most often over a specified period (such as in the last week, in the last month, in the last year, for all time, 11 etc.) The log-off reason used most often may appear first, the 12 reason with the next highest use may appear second, and so forth.

13 The frequency of use may be measured among only agents in a 14 particular log-of f category, among all agents, or among some other grouping of agents.

16 :l Alternatively, log-off reasons may be displayed in the order 17 in which they have been used most recently. The last log-off 18 reason used may appear first, the reason used next most recently 19 may appear second, and so forth. The recency of use may be boos. 20 measured among only agents in a particular log-of f category, 21 among all agents, or among some other grouping of agents. For e:22 example, if a reason is expected to be commonly selected by a 23 group of agents upon occurrence of a certain activity, then that reason could be listed first for every agent in the group as soon as it is selected by any agent in the group.

26 Log-off reasons also may be displayed in an order based on JUL. 3. 2001 1:31PM W/ELSH KATZ LTD. 312 655 1501 NO. 0217 P. 18 1 the agent's defined schedule. For example, the next scheduled 2 log-off activity may appear first, and so forth. This algorithm 3 is particularly suitable for coordination with a work management 4 program 60. In one embodiment, there can be a feedback mechanism. Actual reasons selected may be considered not only to 6 reorder the log-off reasons displayed to an agent, but to plan 7 the agent's scheduled activities.

8 As another example, log-off reasons may be displayed in an 9 order based on the time of the log-off request during an agent's work shift. For example, an end of duty reason may be expected 11 to occur at the end of a shift, a lunch break reason may be 12 expected in the middle, perhaps a training reason may be expected 13 early in a shift on Fridays, and so forth.

::14 In one embodiment, the particular order optimization .5 algorithm executed can vary depending on a factor such as the agent's work group. The algorithm to be applied could be a 7 separate attribute for each agent log-off category.

*18 In the example of Figure 2, order optimization program 58 *19 may download from and upload to agent log-off category table and log-of f reason table 52, and may interact with work 00021 management program 60 and with a contact center administrator via contact center administrator interface 56. It also may acquire *0023 information from a reporting program 46 (or from a portion of 24 memory in which data operated on by reporting program 46 is stored).

JUL. 3. 2001 1:32PM WELSH KATZ LTD. 312 655 1501 NO. D217 P. 19 1 in other embodiments, the data in tables 50, 52, and 54 2 could be organized differently. For example, tables 52 anid 54 3 could be combined, with log-off reason table 52 using a text name 4 instead of a code for a log-off reason. For example, tables and 52 could be combined, with log-off reason codes listed for 6 each agent identifier even if the list was the same as for 7 another agent, Similarly, tables 50, 52, and 54 could be 8 combined in a single table. In another example, agent log-off 9 category table 50 could be part of a larger collection of data regarding each agent.

11 In some embodiments, the table 50 is not included. For 12 example, in an embodiment in which the same log-off reasons are 13always displayed to each agent, there is no need for table .:14 In that embodiment, log-off reason table 52 could include the log-off reason codes for the reasons which will be displayed.

::16 The reason codes included in table 52 and their ordering may be :17 subject to real-time modification. in one example, any 1*'8 modification in the reasons to be displayed can be reflected immediately by real-time substitution of any list of log-of f reasons being displayed at an agent station 44, as mentioned ~21 above.

22 In one embodiment, the reason ordering could occur 21 separately instead of being incorporated in a log-off reason 24 table 52. For example, order optimization program 58 could be JUL. 3. 2001 1:32PM WELSH KATZ LTD. 312 655 1501 NO. D217 P. 1 applied after log-off reasons for a particular agent were read 2 from table 52, but before they were displayed to the agent.

3 Figure 3 is a functional block diagram illustrating an 4 example of a specific embodiment of the agent log-off process.

In the example of Figure 3, an agent could initiate a log-off 6 request 12 which, in the illustrated embodiment of Figure 1, 7 would be sent from agent station 44 to processor 42. There then 8 could be retrieval 14 of log-off reasons defined for the 9 particular agent.

in one embodiment, the log-off request 12 would 11 automatically include an agent identifier. In other embodiments, 12 processor 42 would have to access information, about the agent identifier currently associated with agent station 44, which had 14 been stored as part of an initialization process when the agent .:001s logged on.

::16 In one embodiment, an agent log-off category code .:17 corresponding with the particular agent identifier could be determined by processor 42 from table 50. Codes indicating 19 specific log-off reasons and the specific order in which they 20 should be displayed could be determined from log-of f reason table 21 52 for the particular agent log-off category. The text name of 22 particular log-off reasons could be determined from reason name 23 table 54, completing the retrieval 14 of log-off reasons defined 24 for the particular agent. Different embodiments could involve J UL. 3.2001 1 :32PM WELSH KATZ LTD. 312 655 1501 NO. 0217 P. 21 1 different tables, as discussed above.

2 Continuing with the example of Figure 3, a display 1.6 of the 3 text names of the log-off reasons defined for the particular 4 agent could be presented at agent station 44 in the defined order. Agent selection 18 of an applicable log-off reason could 6 be effected at agent station 44, generating notification 20 of 7 the log-off reason from agent station 44 to processor 42. In one 8 embodiment, processor 42 could make a determination 22 whether 9 the signal received from agent station 44 represented a valid log-off reason, if not, there could be redisplay 16 of log-off 11 reasons at agent station 44. This situation might arise because 12 of a computer error, an error by the agent,.or because of an *:J3 intervening change of available log-off reasons.

If a determination 22 is made that there was selection 19 of a valid log-off reason (or if there is no such validation 16 determination 22), processor 42 could execute removal 24 of the eligibility of agent station 44 for the routing of contacts. For i48 example, default values could be restored to a selected portion of memory which was assigned to agent station 44 when the agent 0*..20 logged on, rendering that portion of memory available for another 21 assignment.

22In one embodiment, there could be acknowledgement of the 23 log-off with a log-off complete message 26 from processor 42 to 24 agent station 44. in one embodiment, a log-off message 28 could JUL. 3. 2001 1:32PM WELSH KATZ LTD. 312 655 1501 NO. Q217 P. 22 1 be sent from processor 42 to a reporting program 46. For 2 example, a log-off message 28 to a reporting program 46 could 3 generate recordation of the agent identifier, log-off reason, and 4 date/time.

In an alternative embodiment, notification 20 of the 6 selected log-off reason could be sent from agent station 44 to 7 processor 42 via another computer (not shown). In different 8 examples, other events described above (such as retrieval 14 of 9 log-off reasons, log-off complete message 26, or log-off message 28 to reporting program 46) also could be accomplished wholly or 11 in part by another computer rather than wholly by ACD processor 12 42.

other computer could perform myriad other functions for 1* 4 the organization operating the ACD system and, in one example, 5 could be used by the organization operating the ACD system to 16 i control the ACD system. In some examples, a separate host 17 computer could effect data transmisoion to and from agent station 44. As one example, this could be database information which an 19 agent needs in connection with a particular contact. As another example, this could be the content of a non-telephone circuit 21 switched contact, such as an e-mail or a web inquiry. in other *22 words, processor 42 controls the routing of contacts to agents 23 and is part of the agent log-off process. However, in some 24 embodiments, at least part of the process of displaying and recording log-off reasons could be performed by another computer.

JUL. 3.2001 1:32PM W~ELSH KATZ LTD. 312 655 1501 NO. Q211 P. 23 1 in one embodiments there can be default log-off reasons 2 displayed to an agent if a customized list is not stored for the 3 agent. in other embodiments, display of log-off reasons can be 4 an event which is available, but is executed during a log-off procedure only if activated, For example, there can be an 6 option, exercised by the contact center administrator, whether 7 log-off reasons are to be displayed or are to be required to B complete the log-off process. As another example, the display of 9 log-off reasons could be an alternative provided if a log-off request 12 were sent from an agent station 44 in lieu of, or 11 without accompaniment by, a log-off reason code.

12 Reporting program 46 can facilitate the presentation of 13 real-time displays (for example, on a computer monitor of a .:14 supervisor) and/or historical reports. This can be Used not only *15 to monitor agent activity in general, but in particular to 16 compare actual agent activity to scheduled activity. For 17 example, actual log-off reasons can be compared with scheduled :18 activities in conjunction with a work management program 60 or in 19 conjunction with a commercially available schedule adherence 20 program such as Rockwell's Call Center Commander.

21 In the examples of Figures I. and 3, reporting program 46 can 22 receive actual log-off messages 28 from processor 42. in the 923 example of Figure 2, reporting program 46 can determine text 24 names corresponding with log-off reason codes from reason name table 54, and can interact with work management program 60 and JUL. 3.2001 1 :32PM WYELSH KATZ LTD. 312 655 1501 NO. D217 P. 24 I with a Contact center administrator via a contact center 2 administrator interface 56. The feedback from reporting program 3 46 can be used in general for efficient management of a contact 4 center, and specifically to modify and reorder log-off reasons which will be displayed to an agent in response to a log-off 6 request.

7 The present invention provides an organization operating an 8 ACD system greater flexibility in tailoring log-off reasons for 9 groups of agents or even for individual agents. It provides the optional advantages of being able to tailor reports and real-time 11 displays (such as those connected with schedule adherence 12 programs) with as much specificity as desired. It is more 13 efficient for agents in that text names for log-off reasons are :14 displayed, only reasons applicable to a particular agent need be 15 displayed, and the display can be arranged so that the most ~*16 likely reason is displayed first and so forth. The present 17 invention also provides greater flexibility, because log-off reasons and the order in which log-off reasons are displayed can 19 be changed at any time.

The embodiments discussed and/or shown in the figures are 21 examples. They are not exclusive ways to practice the present 22 invention, and it should be understood that there is no intent to ::23 limit the invention by such disclosure. Rather, it is intended 24 to cover all modifications and alternative constructions and embodiments that fall within the scope of the invention as JUL. 3.2001 1:32PM WELSH KATZ LTD. 312 655 1501 NO. 0217 P. 1 defined in the following claims; Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that that prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia.

a a.

Claims (4)

17. The method as in claim 6, wherein the order defining 2 step Uses feedback regarding log-off reasons actually selected historically in determining the order in which the members of the 4 set of agent log-off reasons are to be displayed. 8. The method as in claim 6, the order in which the members 2 of the set of agent log-off reasons are to be displayed being 3 selected from a group consisting of: a same order for every 4 agent, an individual order for at least one agent, -a group order JUL. 3.2001 1:33PM WELSH KATZ LTD. 312 655 1501 NO. 0217 P. 28 for a group of agents, an order in which the reasons have been 6 used most often by an agent to whom the set of reasons is to be 7 displayed, an order in which the reasons have been used most 8 often among a category of agents which includes the agent to whom 9 the set of reasons is to be displayed, an order in which the reasons have been used most often among all agents working with 11 the system, an order in which the reasons have been used most 12 recently by the agent to whom the set of reasons is to be 13 displayed, an order in which the reasons have been used most 14 recently among a grouping of agents which includes the agent to whom the set of reasons is to be displayed, an order in which the 16 reasons have been used most recently among all agents working 17 with the system, an order correlated with scheduled activities of 18 the agent to whom the set of reasons is to be displayed, an order p9 specified by a person, an order specified by a software program "20 facilitating scheduling of agent activities, and an order 21 correlated with a time of the log-off request during a work shift ***i22 of the agent to whom the set of reasons is to be displayed. 9. The method as in claim 1, further comprising: S2 selecting a log-off reason from the set of log-off 3 reasons displayed at the agent station; and 4 displaying the selected log-off reason on a real-time basis. 1 10. The method as in claim 1, the method further JUL. 3.2001 1:33PM WELSH KATZ LTD, 312 655 1501 NO. 0217 P. 29 2 comprising: 3 selecting a log-off reason from the set of log-off 4 reasons displayed at the agent station; and storing a record of the selected log-off reason. 1 11. The method as in claim 1, the method further comprising 2 storing a collective record of selected log-off reasons, the 3 collective record including a date/time entry for each log-off 4 with a corresponding agent identifier and log-off reason. 1 12. The method as in claim 1, the method further 2 comprising; 3 selecting a log-off reason from the set of log-off 4 reasons displayed at the agent station; and comparing the selected log-off reason with a scheduled 6 activity of an agent identified as working at the agent 7 station. 1" 13. An apparatus for configuring agent log-off reasons in 2 connection with an automatic contact distribution system on a 3 real-time basis, the apparatus comprising; 4 an agent station; 5 means for defining a configurable set of agent log-off 6 reasons adapted for display as part of an agent log-off 7 procedure, wherein the set of reasons can be redefined on a 8 real-time basis; and JUL. 3.2001 1:33PM WELSH KATZ LTD. 312 655 1501 NO. 0217 P. 9 means for displaying the most recently defined set of agent log-off reasons at the agent station after receipt of 11 a log-off request from the agent station. 1 14. The apparatus as in claim 13, further comprising means 2 for defining a set of agents to whom the set of agent log-off 3 reasons will apply. 1 15. The apparatus as in claim 14, wherein the set of agents 2 is configurable, and the set of agents can be redefined on a 3 real-time basis. 1 16. The apparatus as in claim 14, the set of agents being i2 selected from a group consisting of; all agents working with the system, an individual agent, a plurality of individual agents, a category of agents, a category of agents based on agent tasks, a o. category of agents based on agent location, a category of agents 6 based on agent work group, a category of agents based on agent S7 supervisor, a category of agents based on agent assigned class of 8 service, a category of agents based on agent skills, a category S9 of agents based on agent provided services, a category of agents 10 based on agent work time period, and a category of agents based on scheduled agent activities. 1 17. The apparatus as in claim 13, further comprising means 2 for defining a configurable order in which members of the set of JUL. 3. 2001 1:33PM WELSH KATZ LTD. 312 655 1501 NO. 0217 P. 31 3 agent log-off reasons are to be displayed, wherein the order can 4 be redefined on a real-time basis. 1 18. The apparatus as in claim 13, further comprising: 2 means for selecting a log-off reason from the set of 3 log-off reasons displayed at the agent station; and 4 means for displaying the selected log-off reason on a real-time basis. 1 19. The apparatus as in claim 13, further comprising: 2 means for selecting a log-off reason from the set of 3 log-off reasons displayed at the agent station; and 4 means for storing a record of the selected log-off 5 reason. 1 20. The apparatus as in claim 13, further comprising means 2 for storing a collective record of selected log-off reasons, the 3 collective record including a date/time entry for each log-off 4 with a corresponding agent identifier and log-off reason. 1 21. The apparatus as in claim 13, further comprising: 2 means for selecting a log-off reason from the set of 3 log-off reasons displayed at the agent station; and 4 means for comparing the selected log-off reason with a scheduled activity of an agent identified as working at the 6 agent station. JUL. 3. 2001 1:33PM WELSH KATZ LTD. 312 655 1501 NO. 0217 P. 32 1 22. An apparatus for configuring agent log-off reasons in 2 connection with an automatic contact distribution system, the 3 apparatus comprising: 4 memory adapted to store a list of agent log-off reasons which apply to a set of agents; 6 an agent station, including a computer display screen 7 capable of displaying the list of log-off reasons; and 8 one or more processors, wherein at least one processor 9 is configured to execute changes to the list of agent log- off reasons stored in the memory, and wherein at least one 11 processor is configured to send the list of log-off reasons 12 to the agent station after receipt of a log-off request from 13 the agent station. 1 23. The apparatus as in claim 22, 2 wherein at least one processor is configured to execute 3 changes to the set of agents, and 4 wherein the at least one processor configured to send 5 the list of log-off reasons to the agent station is 6 configured to send the list to the agent station if an agent S. 7 identified as working at the agent station is among the set 8 of agents. 1 24. The apparatus as in claim 22, wherein at least one 2 processor is configured to adjust an order in which the log-off JUL. 3. 2001 1:33PM WELSH KATZ LTD. 312 655 1501 NO. 0217 P. 33 3 reasons are to be displayed at the agent station. 1 25. The apparatus as in claim 24, further comprising: 2 a report generator configured to report a record of 3 log-off reasons actually selected; and 4 a work management system configured to utilize historical information from the report generator to provide 6 requests to the at least one processor configured to adjust 7 the order in which the log-off reasons are to be displayed. 1 26. The apparatus as in claim 24, the order in which the 2 log-off reasons are to be displayed at the agent station being 3 selected from a group consisting of; a same order for every 4 agent, an individual order for at least one agent, a group order 5 for a group of agents, an order in which the reasons have been 6 used most often by an agent to whom the set of reasons is to be 7 displayed, an order in which the reasons have been used most 8 often among a category of agents which includes the agent to whom 9 the set of reasons is to be displayed, an order in which the reasons have been used most often among all agents working with *.11 the system, an order in which the reasons have been used most 12 recently by the agent to whom the set of reasons is to be 13 displayed, an order in which the reasons have been used most 14 recently among a grouping of agents which includes the agent to whom the set of reasons is to be displayed, an order in which the 16 reasons have been used most recently among all agents working JUL. 3. 2001 1:34PM WELSH KATZ LTD. 312 655 1501 NO. 0217 P. 34 17 with the system, an order correlated with scheduled activities of 18 the agent to whom the set of reasons is to be displayed, an order 19 specified by a person, an order specified by a software program facilitating scheduling of agent activities, and an order 21 correlated with a time of the log-off request during a work shift 22 of the agent to whom the set of reasons is to be displayed. 1 27. The apparatus as in claim 22, wherein at least one 2 processor is configured to apply an algorithm for determining an 3 order in which the log-off reasons are to be displayed at the 4 agent station. 1 28. The apparatus as in claim 27, wherein identification of 2 the algorithm to be applied is stored as an attribute of the set of agents. 1 29. The apparatus as in claim 22, wherein the memory is 2 initialized with a default list of log-off reasons.

30. The apparatus as in claim 22, 2 wherein sending the list of log-off reasons to the 3 agent station is an optional event; and 4 wherein the at least one processor configured to send the list is configured to send the list only if the event is 6 activated. JUL. 3. 2001 1:34PM WELSH KATZ LTD. 312 655 1501 NO. 0217 P. 1 31. The apparatus as in claim 22, wherein the at least one 2 processor, configured to send the list of log-off reasons to the 3 agent station, is configured to receive immediate notification 4 when the list is changed and to update the list sent to the agent station if a log-off procedure for the agent station has not been 6 completed. 1 32. The apparatus as in claim 22, further comprising a data 2 terminal, wherein a log-off reason selected at the agent station 3 can be monitored real-time by access to the data terminal. 1 33. The apparatus as in claim 22, further comprising a 2 report generator configured to report a record of log-off reasons 3 actually selected. 1 34. The apparatus as in claim 22, wherein at least one 2 processor is configured to compare a log-off reason selected at 3 the agent station with a scheduled activity of an agent 4 identified as working at the agent station. S** A method for configuring agent log-off reasons substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings and/or Examples.

36. An apparatus for configuring agent log-off reasons substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings and/or Examples.

37. The steps, features, compositions and compounds disclosed herein or referred to or indicated in the specification and/or claims of this application, individually or collectively, and any and all combinations of any two or more of said steps or features. Ow o 90 V S** DATED this SIXTH day of JULY 2001 Rockwell Electronic Commerce Corp. by DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Patent Attorneys for the applicant(s) *S 0